Simon Grayson says the Sunderland supporters he meets appreciate the difficult circumstances he is working under – but the manager is not hiding from the fact they ought to be doing better than they are.

Grayson was only able to spend around £1.25m in transfer fees this summer as the club readjusted financially to Premier League relegation, but they still have one of the Championship’s biggest wage bills.

Expecting an automatic promotion push might have been unrealistic this season but they go into back-to-back home games against Bristol City and Bolton Wanderers in the relegation zone.

Grayson has spent a lot of time meeting fans recently, speaking to supporters groups on the last two Thursdays and taking training at Monday’s Fan Fest, and he thinks there is some realism from them but there are limits.

Sunderland manager Simon Grayson (Image: Sunderland AFC)

“I know I’m going to get plenty of stick but that comes with the territory of being a manager,” he said. “You can be a successful manager and top of the league and some supporters will still give you stick, that’s just the nature of football.

“Is there a reality of where we are (from fans)? I think there’s a lot of that around the place but we’re certainly not going to be ducking from the fact we have to improve and get far better results than we are doing at this moment in time because a club like Sunderland shouldn’t be in the bottom two as it stands.

“It’s a long season and we are making small strides – the supporters would like to see bigger ones but the Championship can change very quickly and a couple of positive results can really move us up the table and make this place a positive environment.”

The negativity is greatest at home, where Sunderland have failed to win any of their last 17 matches in all competitions, a sequence stretching back before last Christmas.

Grayson insists that is in stark contrast to the mood at the Academy of Light, and he is trying to transfer it to the terraces.

“In general I think sometimes people can voice an opinion and not know the true facts of what has gone on behind the scenes whether it’s football or the commercial part of the club but once you hear it from the horse’s mouth people are going to take your word for it and understand the real passion we’re all showing.

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“We don’t pay lip service and if I say something or do something or (chief executive) Martin Bain does it’s because we’re trying to be honest with the supporters. Supporters aren’t mugs or idiots who are easily kidded.

“We’ve got out there and we’re telling them what’s happened with the budget, with injuries etc and ultimately trying to transmit the positivity we’ve got in amongst the dressing room and the training ground that we’re not a million miles away from turning things around.“

One excuse Sunderland will not have on Saturday is injuries, with Paddy McNair on the verge of a first-team return.

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“Most of the lads are available, Marc Wilson has trained all week,” Grayson confirmed. “Callum (McManaman) picked up a niggle Monday but should be okay. Ty Browning is the only one missing, with a hamstring injury.”

McNair damaged his cruciate knee ligaments in November, and has played three times for the under-23s in recent weeks.

“He has trained all this week, he’s made good progress,” said Grayson, whose side play three times in the next eight days. “Possibly he could be involved in the matchday squad. He is not ready to start a first-team game but it is nice to have him around. Any signs of him being near the first team is good for us and for himself because he has had a slow process getting back to fitness.”